How to ReJesus Practically

January 21, 2009 in Uncategorized

Here is a helpful chart from Alan Hirsch’s ReJesus. It explains how we can ReJesus our churches practically. If you haven’t read the book or any of my reviews, Alan is calling us to imitate, know, and demonstrate Jesus as Lord in all of church and life. The Action Points jump-start thinking about how to do that through teaching, community, mission, worship, etc. If you have more practical thoughts, do share them in the comments.

What the Church Becomes

Action Points

1. A Christ-like community that reflects his character, life, and activity

1. By making an intentional corporate study of the Gospels to model our lives on the example of Jesus, preferring no lesser hero from our tradition

2. A holistic community that seeks to offer up all of life to the lordship of Jesus

2. By de-emphasizing Sunday and equipping all followers to hand over every sphere of their lives and every day of the week to Jesus

3. A peace-loving community that is considerate, submissive, merciful, fruitful, impartial, and sincere

3. By moving outward to serve others, knowing that community is forged by our collective commitment to a cause beyond ourselves

4. A worshiping community that exalts Jesus and declares his sovereignty

4. By understanding that worship includes singing but is never limited to it and involves a whole-of-life exaltation of Jesus

5. A devoted community that experiences intimacy with Jesus

5. By practicing the presence of Jesus in prayer, solitude, fasting, and missional action

6. A graced community that relies on the work of Jesus for salvation

6. By insisting continually that it is not by our own efforts that we are saved-that is, through a continual re-evangelization of believers

7. A holy community that seeks after the righteousness of Jesus

7. By learning and living the values of Jesus, as distinct from the piety of middle-class, good-manners conventionality

8. A healthy community that feeds on God’s Word and the ministry of his Spirit

8. By corporately devoting ourselves to the Scriptures and the exercise of the spiritual gifts